Method for treating engine fuel



- June-16, 1925. 1,542,448

y rw. HARPER. JR

METHOD FOR TREATIQGENGINE FUEL .i

` F11ed ua 2, 1 19 Y *l y 1 T5 77 777) INVENTOR ATTORNEY ifatented inneiti, i925.

UNITED'` STTS WILLIAM HARPER, JR., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNGR TOSKYWING AIRCRAFT COR PORATION, O'F NEW 'YORK, N. Y.,.A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK.

METHOD FOR TREATING ENGINE FUEL.

Application led May 12, 1919. Serial No. 296,358.

T o all whom z't may Gomera.'-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HARPER, Jr.,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in thecounty of ANew York and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvementstin Methodsfor Treating Engine Fuel, of which thefollowing is a specification. l This invention relates to method andap-4 paratus for producing and burnlng-gaseous mixture, and hasparticular reference to a method and apparatus whereby the fuel requiredby a combustion engine can be more eifectuallygasified and consumed inthe enffme.

D At the present time a devicel known as a carburetenwhich is insubstance a lspecial form of aspirating atomizer, is used for producingthe combustile gaseous mixture, but it is found in practice thatalthough theoretically tending to produce a true gas or vapor, it infact only produces a partial gas or vapor intermingled with unchanged sray particles. At the present time variouse Orts are made to eliminatethese spray particles, as by the use of so-called hot spots, vand alsovarious mechanical devices, such as movable vanes, have been put inthegas passage in an attempt to mix up or remove these spray particles.These devices are ineflicient and wasteful and only partially overcomethe trouble.

It is the object of this invention to provide a method and apparatuswhereby it is insured that only gas or vapor, without spray, will passinto the engine cylinder, and obtain a large economy in fuelconsumption,

as well asa gain in power will be obtained, because it is wellunderstood that vspray particles do not have time to be completelyconsumed in a modern high. speed engine, but are simplypartiallyconsumed andleave'a residue of carbon, 4which is deposited on thecylinder and valve surfaces.

By the method of this Ainvention a co1n bined mixture of fuel gas orvapor, air and spray may be so separated by centrifugal action and heatas to completely eliminate all spray particles before entering thecylinder. Unvaporized fuel, in the form of drops or minute spray, isheavier than gaseous vapor, so that if centrifugal force is imparted toa mixture of air, vapor and spray, and the path of thismixture suddenlychanged, it results that the heavier particles constituting the spraywill be trapped, while the air and vapor, owing to their ability to morereadily change their direction by reason of their less energy pass oninto the engine. If now vthe space wherein the heavier particles` aretrapped be heated, a secondary vaporization of these condensed particlescan be effected, so that a complete and uniform gas will be supplied tothe engine.'

By this method it is possible to lubricate e"n gines by spraying theVlubricant into the centrifugally moving body of air, fuel, vapor andspray, permitting the lubricant to be condensed and fed to the movingsurface without going into the engine cylinder, where it causes furtherdeposition of carbon. Again, by this method it is possible to separate aheavy oil into gaseous fuel constituents which will be`burned in theengine cylinder for power, and heavier lubricating constituents whichwill be condensed before passing into the cylinder, and supplied to thewearing surfaces.

'The method is of special advantage for application -to combustionengines of the rotary cylinder type, as heretofore it has been dilicultto operate these engines either y Ifuel and oil consumption and also acomparatively s'hort working period before taking down and cleaning.Furthermore the unsatisfactory nature of the mixture actually receivedin the cylinder has resulted in throttling difficulties, preventing the-maximum development of power, and also prcventing any `wide variationin the range of throttle speed.

In 'the accompanying drawing is shown a form of rotary cylinder enginefor carrying out the method, but the method is applicable to variousother forms of apparatus other than the particular engine illust-rated.

The gurc shows a vertical elevation partly in section of an engineembodying the invention.

1 is t-he rotary casing carrying air cooledA cylinders 2, 3 the fixedhollow shaft having crank pin 4. 5 is the master-ring rotating on crankpin 4 and carrying the rigid connecting rod 6 connected to the piston 7in the upper cylinder 2. The other pistons 7 are 'connected to themaster-ring 5 by pivoted connecting rods 8 in the usual manner. Eachpiston is also provided with the usual non-interference notch 9.

The trunk and head of the piston may be made in any desired manner butare shown in one piece, the head being open in the center to receive a.webbed valve ring seat- 12 having segmental `gas ports and carrying-valve 13 with the usual stem 14. Threaded into the ring 12 is a ring 16having a de. pending fiange or skirt 17, which forms with the pistonexterior thereof, the oil spray bathing chamber, as will be hereinafterexplained. The ring 16 also carries heavy depending lugs 18 forming ayoke and bored to receive the wrist pin 19, the wrist pin being securedin the usual manner. The valve stem bushing 22 is threaded into the lug23 carried by the valve seat ring 12, and the bushing 22 carriesdepending ears 24 in which are pivoted the valve stem counterweightlevers 25 pivoting being ef-A fected by a U-shaped pin 26, and the innerends of the counterweight levers projecting into aslot 27 in the valvestem' 14.l The valve is normally held seated under slight pressure bymeans of a double coil spring 28, which engages the arms 29 on theconnterweight levers 25. The spring 28 acting through the levers 25holds the valve seatedwhen the engine is at rest with the valve innormal seated position, and when the engine is operating, the weights 25slightly overbalance the centrifugal force of the'valve itselfand holdit Seated, so that centrifugal force is not relied upon in any respectto open the valve in this engine.

30 is the valve rocker pivted at 31' in extensions on the skirt 17. andhaving the counterweght 33'. `When the valve is seated,

. the end of the lever 80 rests between the end of the valve stem andthe Wrist pin v 19, the upper end of the connecting rod ator 3G when notflexed, so as to damp it and prevent vibration of the end under the highengine speed.

Vhen the valve is seated, with the piston at its extreme. upwardposition, the yielding rocker actuator 3o' is not under any stress butas-the piston moves down in the cylinder owing to rotation of thecylinder to the lett oi the crank pin 4, the actuator 36 lifts therocker 30 and imparts to the valve a multi- 75 plied movement, causingthe valve loopen if the cylinder is working on the suction Stroke.During the working stroke, the cylinder pressure holds the valve seatedagainst the lifting force of the yielding actuator 36, as in theintermediate cylinder shown on the drawing, which is part way throughthe working stroke. The exhaust occurs during the outward stroke whilethe actuator 36 is out of contact with the rocker 55 30. The actuator 36is adjustable vertically in the clamping device so as to change thetiming, it'being seen that by adjusting the actuator upward the valveopens sooner than when it is adjusted so as to bring the part whichengages with the rocker 30 slightly out 'of contact therewith. Also, theactuator can readily be bent to change the leverage or timing, ifdesired, and still hold it normally engaged with pin 35.

lVithin the piston is a dished plate 4() having ports 41 adjacent itsperiphery, for

detlecting the fuel and oil spray outwardly, this plate being seated inthe piston and held by an expanding spring ring 42, the )U0 ports 41being above the bottom of the skirt 17, so that the mixture of firingcharge and lubricating oil spray first strikes plate 40 and dropsconsiderable oil, and then passes upwardly through the ports 41 and 105is again deflected around the lower edge of the` skirt 17 before passingupwardly to and through the valve. The oil spray particles being heavierthan the firing charge and having greater centrifugal velocity cou- 110dense on these surfaces and run through lubricating holes 44 in thepiston to the cylinder surface. The ports 41 are triangular, and haveraised rims on the inner side towardsthe crank sha-ftys'o as to prevent115 drops of oil forming on the edges of the ports and bein drawnthrough. l

In order to aad in the exhaust of. the gases, a hood 7 5 is rovi'ded,this hood opening on one side in t e direction in which the cylinder isrotating so as to take in air and cause itto blow across theexhaustvalve and then out at the rear side of the hood, thus'not onlycooling the exhaust' valve but" aiding inthe exhaust of the gases byeduction. V l By applying the method of this invention to the l abovedescribed engine, usingr an ordinary carbureter connected to the hollowshaft and an. oil spray pump discharging into the air, gas and spraymixture pro- 13 is handled according to the method hereindescribed, thefuel gas and vapor only pass into the engine,and liquid is trapped andcondensed, owing to greater centrifugal velocity. In f act, a specialmixture of gasifiable and lubricating constitutents can be used by .thisinvention through an,v ordinary carbureter, or even somegrades of crudepetroleum. When once condensed,

lthe lubricant can run through the oil holes in the piston to thecylinder surface, while elements which are ca able of being fractionatedor vaporized, y heat take up heat from the interior of the piston headuntil fractionated or vaporized, and then pass into4 the cylinder withthe charge, the residue being lubricant. The volumetric eiiiciency isnot decreased because the gas mixture does not become overheated.

At the same time that 'vaporized particles are fractionated by the hotpiston surface of the piston is itself kept cooled to such an'extent asnot to cause preignition of the incoming charge, thus permitting ahigher charge compression than has heretofore been feasible in rotarycylinderengines.

The method of this invention is to be distinguished from rotary vanedevices heretofore proposed to be inserted in the intake manifold ofcombustion engines, in that'by this method the entire charge, incliudnrspray (whether of fuel or lubricant, or both ,is subjected tocentrifugal forces, and then passed through or around baiing or othermeans so arranged as to trap vthe particles of heavy mass and vconsequently lhaving greater centrifugal force, While readily permittingthe `reversepassage of gases and vapors, Whereas the vane devicesheretofore proposed primarily obstruct the low by cutting across thepath of the flow and simply break it into eddies and cross-currents,Without effecting any centrifugal separation. InA fact, thesevanedevices are frequently described as mixers, but are not evenefficient as such, because sprayparticles cannot form a homogeneousmixture with gases or vapor solely by mechanical mixlng.

Various modifications and changes maybe made in the apparatus Withoutdeparting from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed, is: l i

1. The method of supplying a rotary cylinder combustion engine with fuelgas which consists in abruptly reversing the centrifugal flow of a fuelgas and oil spray mixlture to condense out the'heavier particles beforereaching the inletvalve.

2. The method of supplying a rotary cylind'er combustion engine withfuel gas which consists in abruptly reversing the centrifugal flow of afuel gas and oil spray mixture to condenseout the heavier particlesbefore reaching the inlet valve, and conducting the condensed liquid tothe cylinder bearing surface.

3. The method of supplying a rotary cylinder combustion engine With fuelgas which consists 4in abruptly reversing the centrifugal flow of a fuelgas and oil spray mixture to condense out the heavier particles before`reaching the inlet'valve, partially. vaporizing the condensed liquidfor fuel charge, and conducting the residue to the cylinder bearingsurface.

4f. The method of separating fuel vapor from spray carrying lubricantmaterial.

which consists in imparting centrifugal force to the mixture, andbaiiing the mixture by a movable element in such manner that the fuelvapor is supplied for combustion and the condensed lubricant suppliedtoa Wearing surface; v

5; Thejnethod of separating fuel vapor from spray carrying lubricantmaterial which consists in imparting centrifugalgforce to themixture,and baffling the mixture by a movable element-in such manner that thefuel is supplied for combustion and the condensed lubricant supplied toa Wearing surface, the condensing being on a heated surface wherebyvolatile constitutents are vaporized and mixed with the fuel vapor.

6. The process of treating a fuel charge for an internal combustionengine comprising a mixture of vapor and spray which comprises abruptlychanging the direction of flow of saidmixture toseparate the spray andvapor Within the engine and leading off some of the condensed sprayportion from the place Where the said direction of fiovv changes, saidcondensed spray portion being led effin a different direction from thepath of the vapor.

7. The process of treating a fuel charge of vapor and spray for aninternal combustion engine which comprises abruptly changing thedirection of fiow of said charge to separate the spray- .and vaporportions and subsequently lubricating the engine with *some of thecondensed vspray portions.

8. The method of treating a fuel charge to an engine which comprisesabruptly changing the direction of flowpf the chargesol portionv beingled o' in a different direction separated vapor portions, applying heatto 10 from the path of the vapor, and subsequently the separated sprayportions to Vaporize at lubricating the engine with said condensed leasta part thereof and leading olf some spray let-off. of the condensedspray portions for lubri- 9. The process of treating a fuel chargeeating the engine.

for an internal /conibustion engine which Slglled at New York city, 1nthercount'y 15 comprises abruptlv changing the direction Of'NeW York aldState 0f New York, thls of flow of said charge to separate'the spray 2nddayof Apl'll, A- D 1919- and vapor portions thereof, igniting theWILLIAM HARPER, JR.

